Persecuted for His name sake As you read this post, I encourage you to spend some time today praying and meditating on this message. Give me your thoughts and share what God is telling you. For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf. Philippians 1:29 As I read this scripture, I can only think of the many people who have personally attacked me just because of my faith. Our schools are littered with agnostics, atheists and I feel it has become an epidemic across our country… and our world. Little by little, bit by bit, the enemy, our advisory, has weaseled his way into the hearts of people. I think of the recent “God’s not dead” movie and how not only the professor took such a hard stand on his beliefs but also how his fellow professors looked up to him and how the students didn’t even care. Being a Christian, standing for the Truth of His Word is not easy and the most educated and convincing people will attack you with their intellect because being a Christian takes an element beyond seeing and understanding. The movie was very good as it showed how it only takes “one” to listen and act of the call. It takes faith, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). In a recent report from WND News Press, the number may shock you but an estimated 104,000 people are killed each year for their faith in Jesus. I think of the Gospel of John 15:18-20 where Jesus said “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? “A slave is not greater than his master.” Since they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” Jesus is teaching us that if we live a life like His we are going to receive the same kind of treatment He endured. He is promising that His followers will be mocked, ridiculed, and worse. Persecution is par for the course for the Body of Christ. The question is, Are we going to try and avoid it? Have you ever noticed how quick we are to claim God’s promises of protection? But when was the last time we claimed the promise of 2 Timothy 3:12: “All who desire to live godly lives in union with Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”? When was the last time any of us said, “Lord, today I claim that promise!” Jesus and Paul teach that persecution is not something to be avoided. It is a privilege, a great honor to suffer for Christ. That Jesus would count us worthy of being His representatives, His Ambassadors and facing the same kind of treatment He faced is nothing to be ashamed of. All of the New Testament apostles were martyred but one. Suffering came to them because they lived for God and served the expansion of the kingdom. In the book of Acts we see how Paul preached the Gospel despite the fact that he knew that beatings, imprisonment, and sorrow lay ahead. As we get closer and closer to Jesus’ return, Satan will do more and more attack us… which is the only way he can hurt God. Satan has spent the most recent years desensitizing our children, teaching what is only seen, creating doubt, confusion, etc. He is becoming bolder and bolder in his pursuit of attacking Christians because he knows his time is nearing the end. My point is that being persecuted is not something new and as hard as it might be to swallow, we have some difficult questions to ask ourselves. Do we count it a great honor to be persecuted for His name sake? Are we willing to endure persecution… even to death? Are we ready for the attack? Are we equipped, trained and ready to defend Jesus?
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:14:47 +0000
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